Nigerian man arrested for chaining, killing his two children in Ondo

Operatives of the Southwest security network, Amotekun Corps have arrested a 45-year-old man identified as Gbenga Ogunfadeke, for allegedly chaining and starving his two children to death.

The suspect was arrested on Tuesday in Ibiade, Ogunwaterside Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming Ogunfadeke’s arrest on Wednesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the state commander of Amotekun, David Akinremi, said the suspect locked the children in the house without giving them food and water for over three months. 

He said this led to the death of two of his three children, The PUNCH reports. 

The suspect took the action after accusing his children of stealing. 

The Amotekun Commandant further revealed that the suspect had been maltreating the children aged 16, 17 and 18 since he took custody of them following his failed marriage with their mother, Busola Otusegun.

The Amotekun boss said the suspect was arrested following a complaint by his ex-wife. 

He said, “One of the three children came across his aunty in Ibiade where he currently lives with his father (suspect) and narrated their experience with their father which led to the death of his two elder siblings – Yusuf Ogunfadeke (18 years) and Dasola Ogunfadeke (17 years) between April and June 2022 in Ijebu-Ode where they were all living with the suspect until he relocated back to Ibiade.

“According to him (the child), their father chained and locked them in solitary confinement, without food and water for over three months, which led to the death of the two siblings but he miraculously survived the ordeal.”

According to Akinremi, the suspect, when interrogated, admitted to putting his children in confinement for months but denied not feeding them and being responsible for their death.

The suspect said his action was based on the children’s involvement in stealing, hence the need to ensure they were prevented from such criminal action, claiming that the two deceased children were taken to hospital for treatment at different times when they fell ill but unfortunately died in the process.

The Commandant said, “What is however curious about his defence is that the hospital where he claimed the two children died in Ijebu-Ode could neither be located nor where he allegedly buried them behind a rented apartment he lived in Ijebu-Ode before relocating to his present abode in Ibiade with the third child for possible exhumation be traced.

“The fact that he refused to make the incidents known to any member of the family also gives cause for concern as the suspect is a herbalist, thus further fueling the suspicion of having killed the deceased for possible rituals.

“Consequently, the case is being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation with a view to establishing further facts that will facilitate his prosecution.”